Tue, 02 Oct 2018 14:04:28 +0100WeeblySat, 21 May 2016 15:45:18 GMThttp://www.missenglandwm.com/myblackcountry/miss-black-country-jades-farewell-speechGood evening ladies and gentleman. Wow what a night it has been so far – I am delighted to see so much drive and determination in the girls this year not only to win the title but to achieve something personally too. They are all fantastic role models and have truly worked so hard to get to where they are tonight – each and every one of them should be so proud of themselves regardless of tonight’s outcome.

It’s a cliché but it really doesn’t seem like more than 5 minutes ago when it was me stood back stage nervously waiting for the results. I cannot believe how fast this year has gone. I was brand new to the world of pageantry and it was my first time entering anything like this competition so I really didn’t know what to expect.

For me, my goal was to win the charity award by raising the most money for Beauty with a Purpose as well as helping local charities and community groups along the way. Charity work is something I am so passionate about and something I do for a living by working as a fundraiser for local charity The Haven. I was so focussed on this award – I hadn’t even considered the possibility of winning overall until about 30 seconds before my name was called. I had no idea of the incredible journey I was about to embark upon back then and looking back now it really has been one of the best years of my life.

For me, Miss Black Country is all about being a role model and an ambassador within the community. The Black Country is often tarred with a bad reputation and it is part of our role to change that. To put the Black Country on the map – and not for our accent, but for all of the amazing and wonderful people that fill our community and are constantly going above and beyond for others. I am so proud of my heritage and I hope the girl who wins tonight will go on to positively promote the Black Country and do as much as possible to be an ambassador for all the great things about the area.

During the past year I have used my title to work with some amazing charities including Age UK, Variety, Birmingham Children’s Hospital, Alzheimer’s Society, Myeloma UK, the Memusi Foundation and of course Beauty with a Purpose. I have raised money for a range of projects including being able to send 10 children in Africa to school for a whole year and combatting loneliness in our older generation. In total I have raised over £10,000 for local charities and causes close to my heart – this is something that I am so proud of and something I am looking to this year’s Miss Black Country to continue.

One of my most memorable events was the day I spent at the Children’s Hospital over Christmas. I worked with some of the West Midlands fire service team to build a grotto in the grounds of the hospital and fill it with donated gifts. We spent the day going around the wards, with a Santa of course, giving out gifts and spending time with the children who were too poorly to come outside to the grotto. It was truly heart breaking to hear some of their stories but to see children in these awful situations still with smiles on their faces really put life into perspective and made me determined to do more.

I have had some amazing opportunities alongside my charity work including walking the Wolves players out on to the pitch as part of the Black Country festival activities, rode in the Black Country Day Parade limozine, I filmed a music video with a well-known comedy group, I have modelled designer bridal wear on stage at the NEC National Wedding Show and featured on the front cover of Wolverhampton Magazine.

Of course the most amazing opportunity of all was taking part in the Miss England National final at the Ricoh Arena. At the beginning of this journey I didn’t understand what Miss England was all about. I was worried I wasn’t pretty enough, or modelesque enough. I was worried it would be catty and judgemental – how wrong I was. Miss England isn’t about any of that, they aren’t looking for a 6ft model with gorgeous hair a perfect figure, they are looking for an all-rounder. Someone who is charitable, an ambassador, intelligent and has class and poise. The girls in the final were some of the most inspirational people I have ever met, all working so hard to make the world a better place.

I gave Miss England my everything and I couldn’t be more proud of myself for what I achieved. Out of 22,000 applicants I am pleased to say that I came in the top 20. I was shortlisted for a number of awards including the talent round and within the Top 5 for the Miss Charity award which was always the most important to me. I genuinely made friends for life and truly learned so much about myself and what I am capable of achieving.I am so grateful to the Miss England organisation for the opportunity to represent the Black Country this past year, both locally across the region and also nationally at the Miss England final. So a massive thank you to Angie for everything and all of the team who work so hard behind the scenes.

Thank you to Rachael for being the best boss in the world, a true inspiration herself and most of all for becoming one of my closest friends. Thank you to my friends, family and my boyfriend Tom for all of your constant support, encouragement and for believing in me even when I didn’t. I couldn’t have done any of this without you all.

Thank you to Kiss Me Kate for always making sure I am dressed top to toe in Sparkle and for letting me wear all of your gorgeous dresses.

This has been the best year of my life and this isn't a goodbye - this experience has made me who I am today and so it will always be with me - I wish the next girl every bit of luck and success with her coming year as Miss Black Country - you're going to have such an amazing time.

My name is Jade and I have suffered with my mental health for 5 years.

Most people are surprised when I tell them I suffered with severe anxiety, panic attacks and depression - as they are so used to seeing the confident, smiley, happy person I portray to the world.

Thankfully I am in a much MUCH better place than I was a few years ago, Though I still have days where the anxiety is all too apparent again.

It's hard to believe I was ever in a place where panic consumed me. It kept me up all hours of the night, controlled where I went, how I spoke and what I ate. I spent hours crying and feeling like I might die.. Because that's what anxiety and depression do to you.

I was under doctor supervision for being drastically under weight and even paid hundreds of pounds to get myself home early from a holiday abroad due to the consuming feeling of anxiety, panic and entrapment - I couldn't cope any longer.

I didn't leave the house for months unless forced to - even then my time out was short due to severe panic attacks; this made daily tasks and living a 'normal' life impossible.

Being in my final year at university meant my lack of attendance to lectures and university in general very nearly jeopardised my entire degree and my future. My friendships and family relationships were put under significant strain and I often went days without talking to people.

Thanks to some of my closest friends and family I eventually got through that very dark patch and am here today trying to share a message of unity and hope.

Today is #timetotalk day and finally I feel comfortable and strong enough to speak out about my issues in the hope that it will help others. I have gone on to achieve some amazing things that I am so proud of. Winning the Miss Black Country title had given me so much confidence in myself and my abilities and I really am keen to help others realise their potential too. I am so grateful to the Miss England organisation for helping me along my journey.

I wanted to join the national conversation and would urge you to join too. For those suffering now, you aren't alone and you CAN find ways to cope. It may seem impossible now but I guarantee that there is hope and there are so many people you can turn to for support.

I never thought I would be where I am today, experiencing the opportunities that I have been lucky enough to - I am so grateful.

1 in 4 people will experience mental health issues yet we are all still too scared to speak out. It really is #timetochange

​The day had arrived! It was time for the lovely Miss Chloe Palmer to hang up her sash and pass on the crown to the next young lady looking to make a difference. After the fantastic year she has had, there are definitely some big shoes to fill.

The final was being held at the Six Ways Stadium in Worcester; an amazing room overlooking the pitch.

I spent an hour or two watching the girls in rehearsals, thinking back to a time not too long ago where I was on their side of the stage, nervous, excited and completely unaware of the amazing journey I was about to become a part of.

​I was impressed to see how confident they all were and all completely unique. I had a look through the programme so I could have a read about all of the contestants individually and get a flavour of what they have been up to on the run up to finals day.

Later on in the afternoon, I managed to get a quick half an hour with Kev Wise, the brilliant Miss England photographer for some shots around the grounds. He had been busy all morning running the Miss Photogenic round with the girls so I was so happy that he had a spare 10 minutes to fit me in!

I absolutely love working with Kev... He gets some amazing shots and has an eye for angles I would never have even thought of. One image in particular I absolutely love and has gone straight into my portfolio.

​Before long, rehearsals were over and guests began to arrive. My role as a Miss was to ensure guests were welcomed, their tickets were acknowledged and they were seated in the correct places. I also sold tickets for the wonderful raffle that had been organised along with programmes of the evening’s events.

The brilliant Kiss Me Kate were kind enough to lend me another dress from their fabulous collection to wear for the evening. I absolutely love their dresses and can't recommend them more.

It was great to be able to watch the show from a new perspective. Miss Black Country was the first pageant I had seen let alone entered so I was happy to be able to sit this side of the classic white veils and enjoy the show. Rachael Barker, our wonderful regional director and Joshua Williams, our superb Mr Birmingham were the hosts for the evening and wow didn't they do a great job?! I was so impressed with the whole show.

​The girls all worked so hard and each and every one of them should be so proud of what they achieved! There was so much talent on that stage I can't imagine having to pick a winner.

Massive congratulations to Laura, our new Miss Worcestershire! She is going to have such an amazing year and was a very deserving winner.

​It was lovely to catch up with all of the Miss England family too! I will be so sad in a few months when it is time to hand over my crown too! But until then... I have lots more planned and can't wait to carry on working hard to be an ambassador for the area.

​I was lucky enough to be asked to attend the West Midlands Services Ball in aid of Birmingham Children's Hospital. When I got there I was completely wowed by the level of detail that had been put into the room and decorations to make sure the night as a whole was an experience for everyone.

There was a theme that flowed throughout the room as well as all of the pre-event planning in the tickets and advertising. What was the theme I hear you ask? Well something that is a great hobby of mine, travelling. Each table with themed with decorations and items from different capital cities of different countries. The games played throughout the night, raffle included all fitted with the theme too which was lovely to see.

​Birmingham Children's Hospital is a fantastic local charity and do some brilliant work ensuring that children have opportunities to survive life limiting illnesses as well as giving all important hope to families at such difficult times.

I was so honoured to have been asked to attend the ball which was not only raising vital funds and recognising the great work of Birmingham Children's Hospital but it also celebrated the fantastic work that the West Midlands Services including Police, Fire and Ambulance service do for the local community throughout the year.

They are there through rain or shine, day and night to make sure that we, the community, are safe. I don’t believe that these fantastic men and women always get the recognition they deserve for their commitment and dedication so it was lovely for them as separate services to come together as one and really pay tribute to their hard work.

​The night involved a three course meal, entertainment, plenty of games (all themed of course) a brilliant raffle with prizes that included a holiday apartment in Cyprus for a week! It was great to be involved in the evening; I was so pleased when they asked me to draw names on the raffle especially when I saw the winner’s faces when they found out what they had won!

I was sat on the ‘London’ table with the Mayor and the Consort of Walsall which gave me the opportunity to talk about my role as Miss Black Country and hear about their important roles too. The lovely Miss Worcestershire was also sat with us so we were representing Miss England in force! There were also two representatives from Birmingham Children's Hospital who I thoroughly enjoyed speaking with. As a full-time fundraiser myself, it was great to be able to speak about local needs and discuss the very important work that both charities do. I also asked them both what they find most enjoyable about their roles - of course their answers are the same as mine - we are making a difference every day to the lives of those less fortunate in our community.

​Birmingham Children’s Hospital were able to talk to the entire room about just how much of a difference the money raised from the evening would make. They showed a very moving and powerful video created by one of their patients and their family which involved a poem written by the family themselves. The words in the poem rang true for nearly all families and children that are supported by Birmingham Children's Hospital. It was a lot more touching to hear the impact that the hospital were having, directly from service users than just from the fundraisers. The whole room was captivated by the video and I truly believe that inspired them to give even more throughout the evening.

The money raised from the evening will be used to help fund a new x-ray department. This is such an important department to recreate as it is currently looking very tired and not at all welcoming for children. If a child has an injury, having to come into hospital and having an x-ray can be very scary; especially if it's their first time. Therefore Birmingham Children's Hospital want to revamp the department to make it more welcoming - offering a sense of security and safety to the children and their families accompanying them. I thought this was a great idea having seen first-hand how young children can be affected by hospital visits. When I was younger I spent a few days in a local hospital painting an ‘Under the Sea’ themed mural on the wall in the children’s room with my Grandad. He was a very talented artist and a paramedic himself. So many of the nursing staff and children themselves thanked my Grandad afterwards for his wall painting. They said it brought life and colour to the room and gave the children something happy to distract them from their trauma.

​During the rest of the evening at Walsall Football Stadium I also took part in one of the themed games available throughout the night. There was a large airport runway in the corner of the room. Attendees could take part by paying £1 to make their best paper plane. The winner received a holiday to Turkey and was decided by the person who had thrown their plane the furthest and managed to keep it on the runway. I thought this was a great, unique fundraising idea for an event that was in keeping with their theme.

Of course it's been a long time since I've made a paper plane and definitely a long time since I've made one that can actually fly so mind didn't even make it past the take off line! Slightly embarrassing but at least it has taught me a vital lesson – don’t put paper-plane-making on my CV.

The rest of the night shaped up really well too. They had a Coldplay tribute act which were very enjoyable to watch and the leading Singer was a complete doppelgänger for Chris Martin himself – the ladies loved him!

All in all, I was so pleased to have been involved in the event. They raised a brilliant £4,500 which will give the hospital a great start in their revamp of the X-Ray department.

So the day has finally arrived. I have spent the last few months working very hard within the Black Country and doing everything I can to prepare for the Miss England national finals; and now they are here. I was a big ball of nerves and excitement whilst making my way to the Ricoh Arena in Coventry on Thursday morning. This was the first time I had entered any type of pageant and so I had absolutely no idea what to expect. I was so excited to meet all of the girls and hear all about their inspiring journeys to the finals made up of personal projects and charity work. When I arrived, I carried my trillion bags from the car and went to register. Many of the girls had already arrived and were milling around. It was nice to see some familiar faces as well as some new ones. I handed in my publicity folder, my auction gift and hung my dresses with the other girls’, before heading straight off to do my interview to camera. One by one we were taken off to a room whereby they were filming each contestant introducing themselves. We said our name, age, the area we were representing and an interesting fact about ourselves. Mine went a little like this: “Hi my name is Jade Secker and I am Miss Black Country. I’m 24 and an interesting fact about me is that I once wrote a teenage fiction book that was commended by Jacqueline Wilson.” Following that, I was whisked away by Linford to phone Birmingham Mail for a telephone interview, which was great! I told her all about my eco dress and its connotations, how I was feeling and what it meant to be representing the Black Country.

The morning continued in a busy fashion as I then went straight to take my Brainy Beauty test that was ran by the beautiful Heslewood family. There are many rounds and factors that determine who is a worthy Miss England, and if you have been reading my blog, you will know that it really isn’t just about being a pretty face in a bikini on a catwalk. The Brainy Beauty round recognises the importance of intelligence and an ability to learn. The test consisted of 20 questions; general knowledge and Miss England history questions. Now, I will be honest, when I heard about this round, I panicked a little. Whilst I have always been academic and succeeded in my studies, general knowledge seems to be something that eludes me. I surprised myself with the test and was happy with my performance. Six girls got full marks and went to complete a further, much harder test before they could have an official Brainy Beauty 2015. Next up was the Billion Dollar Smile round that I had been shortlisted for, following promoting their product over the last few months in a variety of ways. The ladies from billion Dollar Smile had joined us and were judging the round. The shortlisted girls one by one took to the catwalk in their Billion Dollar Smile branded vest top to portray their glistening smile. There were 22 girls shortlisted from 52 and the judges were only selecting 5 with the winner being announced at the Miss England Finals. Unfortunately I wasn’t shortlisted down to the top 5 but I was happy to have been given the chance to take part in this round.

Before long, we were ordered to change into our sports round attire and greeted by a team from Extreme Bootcamps. Those who know me will know that, whilst I am partial to a good gym session, the idea of boot camp terrifies me. We were quite clearly warned that there would be no stopping, and if you were to be deemed not applying yourself, it would be those around you that would suffer the consequences. We warmed up as a team and were then split into pairs or on our own for the next section. There was an array of exercises set out for us to circuit around, from squats with weighted bags to press ups on a medicine ball – which, might I add, does not stay still! Our time on each exercise was guided by the amount of time it took one of the girls to run around the entire perimeter with a dead body. Well, not literally a dead body, but a camouflage covered, body shaped weight that was meant to resemble a solider in Afghanistan that you were now responsible for saving. I have to say, it was quite eye opening and really made me think about (whilst realising how little upper body strength I have) what our soldiers must go through in the plights of war. It was merely a glimpse into their world but it was definitely something that makes you consider how lucky we are and how much respect these soldiers deserve for their hard work and dedication to their country. I was on my own during the circuits and so any motivation had to come from within. Again, I was pleasantly surprised with how I did and training in the gym had obviously paid off.

To decide Miss Sportswoman, we had to complete the almighty plank-off. I did my best and held it for as long as possible. It got to a point where my whole body was shaking. There were 4 or 5 girls left towards the end who were absolutely fantastic! I’m not sure what the time was up to but I’m pretty sure they weren’t far off 10 minutes. Holly, Miss Leicestershire was deemed the winner and a rightful one she was too! Next up… LUNCH! The food was amazing and very welcome after being too nervous for breakfast followed by a calorie-burning workout. We had vegetable pasta with chips and chocolate cake to finish. This was where the real work started; rehearsals. Tonight we would be taking part in the Mr England final show in our Eco round. The theme for this year’s eco round was James Bond. Rehearsals went really well and it was great to see all of the girls on the catwalk. Lisa choreographed the routine and we had a few run-throughs before being sent to get ready for the evening show.

I was lucky enough to have my nails done with a gel polish by a team of very talented nail artists before I began getting ready. This is when the nerves started to kick in again. I tried not to think about it and I sat talking to some of the girls whilst we were getting ready to take my mind off it. Going out onto stage was thrilling and it was so wonderful to see the time and effort everyone had put into their eco dress. There were some really unique ideas including the one produced by my lovely roommate, Devon who is Miss Essex. She had created the ice palace from the film Die Another Day and I was blown away by the detail. My dress was inspired by my love for literature and writing. When people think of James Bond, they often forget that these thrilling stories once began as books. For Ian Fleming’s 100th Birthday, Penguin commissioned a re-print of the books with a very retro feel to them. Each cover pictured the bond girl from that story in a pin-up, retro style. The bond girls depict individuality in women and this is reflected in the Miss England competition; we all bring something unique to the table as do the Bond girls. I used the covers to create the main part of my dress and had a head piece created from pages of the book as well as a book itself as a prop.

On reflection, the nerves probably hindered me slightly on stage and I had I got them more under control, I may have been able to describe my dress better. But nevertheless I was happy with how I did and I felt like it had broken the ice for me; meaning maybe I wouldn’t be quite so nervous next year. When the round was over, we were able to go and watch the rest of the Mr England finals, seeing the brilliant Chris Brammell, Mr Liverpool be deemed the winner. He spoke so wonderfully about his work in his region and he was such a deserving winner. After a jam-packed day and night, we headed for our coaches to check in to the hotel for the night and get some well-needed sleep. * * * *

Day two was here before we knew it and we were up bright an early for breakfast and then straight on to the coaches heading back to the Ricoh Arena. Rehearsals were underway before we knew it as we had quite a lot to get through. We firstly rehearsed our Little Black Dress round which was the opening number for the show. The music was James Bond with a great little twist and really made you want to strut your way down the catwalk. Lisa was a brilliant choreographer and her vision for the show was very inspiring. There were a lot of us to organise and she did a great job. I am really looking forward to seeing the footage back as it was so slick and professionally choreographed – it was amazing to be a part of it.

We had red masks for this part of the show that just added to the illusion.

We had a break at lunch time and were fed some more scrumptious food before continuing with rehearsals into the afternoon and learning the choreography for the evening wear round as well as for the top 15; should we be selected. Before long, rehearsal time was over and it was time to head downstairs to the dressing rooms to begin getting ready. We had a brilliant team of hair and make-up artists that have worked on some amazing projects including the Soap Awards.

I had very kindly been given some high quality hair extensions by TZ Hair Salon in Wolverhampton for me to wear during the finals, making my hair look lusciously long. The hair team did such a fantastic job – I have never had so much body in my hair! The make-up team were just as brilliant… contouring away and creating a perfected smokey eye look that all in all made me feel like a million dollars. To top it off I was very lucky to be wearing a Kiss Me Kate designed dress for the evening round. It is such a stunning gown and I was honoured to have been asked to showcase it at the finals. I was even more touched as the team from Kiss Me Kate had come along to the finals to cheer Rosie (Miss Birmingham) and I on in their dresses. I took a moment to think about all that I had achieved and be proud of myself for getting to the finals, regardless of the final result.

My time on the catwalk was one I will remember forever and something I never EVER thought I would have the confidence to do.

I, unfortunately didn’t place in the top 15 on the night. At the time, like everyone else probably did, I naturally felt a little deflated. It’s hard to be objective in those kinds of situations as you are only aware of how hard YOU have worked. I heard a few of the girls saying, ‘I’m really annoyed I didn’t place, I have literally worked so hard.’ The truth is is that every single girl in that competition, myself included, has given it their best shot and done as much as they can in their communities and with their title for a place in the top 15. When I had had a few days to reflect, the deflated feeling passed and I became more proud of what I had done and where I had gotten to in the competition. Natasha was a very worthy winner and I wish her the best of luck in the Miss World competition in December. I know she will do us all proud. A few days later, the Miss England team announced the top 21. Seeing my name next to the 19th place filled me with pride and I was so glad that everything I had done over the last few months hadn’t gone unnoticed. I hope I have done to Black Country proud and it is certainly an experience I won’t be forgetting any time soon. It is a cliché to say I have made friends for life; but I truly have. Not only from the competition itself but from working within my community I have met so many people along the way that I now consider to be life-long friends. I, of course, would love to come back next year and give it one last shot before I’m too old for the competition (wahhhhh). However, for now, I am so privileged to be continuing to representing the Black Country and I have some projects in the pipeline that I cannot wait to share with you all so stay tuned! Much Love Jade Miss Black Country

This week has possibly been my favourite so far. As any football fan will know, the 15/16 season is nearly upon us and with that, brings pre-season friendly matches. I have supported Wolverhampton Wanderers since I was little so when I received a message from them asking if I would be a special guest at their pre-season friendly derby against Aston Villa, I thought I was dreaming.

Thankfully I wasn’t, as it really was an experience I won’t be forgetting for a while. To celebrate securing the coveted Football League Family Excellence Award, an award recognising the outstanding experience provided by clubs for young fans and families, Wolves had an array of pre-match entertainment lined up. The family event kicked off at 4pm and had something for everyone. It was great to see a temporary big screen showing a range of great Wolves content and footage from over the years and portraying everything great about the club.

They had a play bus, sports activities and competitions, the opportunity to meet Wolfie, Wendy and the Villa Mascot: Hercules, food stalls and face painting. The club were also be marking the Black Country Festival, in keeping with other festivals across July. With this came entertainment from the Empty Can and appearances on stage from me!

No, before you ask, I didn’t have to show off my keepie-uppies (thankfully!) but I was asked to be a magician’s helper. I was, of course mesmerised when his hands, too quick for my eyes to keep up with, were turning three short strings into one long one and then back again. Following my time as a glamourous assistant, I interviewed on stage with Jason Forrest, presenter on Wolves official match day radio as well as local station, WCRFM. It was great to chat about the run up to the Miss England finals, my involvement in the Black Country Festivals and also my work at The Haven.

Closer to kick-off, Steven, Chair of the Black Country Festival, and I were honoured to be asked to walk the players out on to the pitch, and stand proudly centre pitch waving our Black Country Flags. Hearing the news I thought I better pop to the loo beforehand – I didn’t want to be doing a nervous wee dance on the pitch! And aren’t I glad I did! I was lead through the tunnel and around the corner of the door, bumped into none other than Danny Batth, captain of the team. I was very star struck and typically, didn’t have my phone on me to get a picture, but meeting him was enough!

Following my little bathroom greeting, the big moment came. Steven and I went out first, Black Country Flags being waved proudly in figures of eight high in the air, followed by the players on the pitch.I couldn’t believe I was stood in the middle of the Wolves pitch, surrounded by 22,070 fans. It was so hard to take in such a once in a lifetime opportunity and I stood there looking around at all the fans cheering and felt pure pride for my region and my title as Miss Black Country.

This was, quite honestly, one of the most mesmerising moments of my life.I watched the first half of the game with my family who had come to support. Villa scored within minutes and it remained 1-0 for the entirety of the first half; much to Wolves’ fans dismay.

At half time, my second big moment was upon me. I was ushered on to the pitch with Jason Forrest where I was interviewed in front of 22,070 people. I was able to talk about the fantastic work of the Miss England and Miss World charity Beauty with a Purpose and all about the Miss England finals. I was also able to talk a bit more about my involvement in the Black Country Festival and my work with local charity, The Haven Wolverhampton. It was a brilliant opportunity to be able to talk to so many people about charities locally and nationally. Surprisingly, I found it less daunting than I thought I would. It was more just a sea of little blurry heads, some with gold tops, and others with claret and blue – obviously the gold topped people were better! No, I’m joking!

I had some great chats with fans from both teams after the game where the final score was 2-2; equalised by Afobé in the last few minutes for Wolves. Although it was only a friendly, there was a great atmosphere and fans definitely treated it like a real mid-season derby. I am so grateful to everyone who made this opportunity possible for me – I can’t wait to do more with the team and the good people of the Black Country throughout the year with my title.To top the week off, I am so excited to announce that I have been shortlisted for two rounds in the Miss England finals; the talent round and the Billion Dollar Smile award.

I am so excited to announce…I have been shortlisted for the Billion Dollar Smile #BillionDollarBrightestSmile award round at the Miss England finals in just over a week’s time!I am completely over the moon and delighted that I have been given the opportunity to continue to advertise these great products. This award means so much to me as, over the last few weeks, it has been great to be able to promote a product that I *believe* in and that actually works. I have had so many compliments and private messages on my social media accounts asking all kinds of questions about my #billiondollarbrightestsmile

﻿*Do they really work?!* *How long did you have to use them for before your teeth looked that good?* *Are they safe?*﻿

My answer was always simple. The products are GENUINELYbrilliant. They are a premium non-peroxide cosmetic product and are 100% safe to use. The results speak volumes and you won’t be disappointed.

And with the addition of the special 25% off code, everyone was sold! Since then I have heard some fantastic results from friends who are nothing but happy with their new glistening smiles.

It takes more muscles to frown than it does to smile. So don’t wait around, order yours and give your beautiful face muscles a rest!

Being shortlisted is an amazing feeling and I feel truly honoured to be being considered to represent the Billion Dollar Smile brand.Growing up, especially in my teenage years, I began to pick at my faults and, like everyone at that age, I had many hang up’s and insecurities. One of which being the colour of my teeth. I had always wanted a pearly white smileand I cannot tell you the number of products, toothpastes and Groupon deals I have tried over the years. Of course, there was little effect from any of them and I was left displeased and with a rather large bill.

Billion Dollar Smilehas changed that for me. I have never been more smile confident and I am so grateful to Miss England for introducing me to this fantastic, cost effective and easy-to-use product.

Something that is so important to me is positivity and body image. With the take-off of the wonderful world of social media, the platform that allows us instant access to almost every piece of history, allows us to see our friends on the other side of the world and gives us the opportunity to envisage the future, it also brings a lot of torment and despondency to many. The impressionable young, already going through the trials and tribulations of being a teenager, now have the confusing world of ‘likes’ to contend with. It would seem that our youngsters are led to believe by their own generation, that having the most likes on photos on Facebook and Instagram is indicative of how beautifulyou are as a person, instantaneously impacting popularity and your place on the social food chain. This, in turn, influences confidence and self-beliefand this simply should not be happening. The worst part is that most are probably unaware that this link is being made.

This constant comparison they make to themselves impacts their confidence and positivity and worst of all, begins to eat away at their inner beauty – stopping so many from portraying their beauty through their smiles. This is something I want to change. I would use the Miss England platform to run workshops across the country and, if I’m lucky enough, across the world, to encourage teenagers to truly see what is beautiful and more so, what is beautiful about them. Inspire them to have the confidence to SMILE, to open that window to their inner self and show the world who they are and what makes them as an individual beautiful.

One of my favourite quotes (I love it so much, it’s pinned to my picture holder in my bedroom) is:Smiling is a universal language –it conveys an open heart and true kindness no matter where you are in the world.

And it is that simple. Though you may not understand a person’s mother tongue, the ability to smile conveys your inner being and a message of peace and understanding. And what’s even better than a smile…. is a confident one;Something I have gained since using Billion Dollar Smileproducts.

Winning Miss Englandwould allow me to graciously follow in the footsteps of the Miss England beauty that is Carina Tyrell. And, like her, and the many Miss England beauties before her, I would use my Miss England title to travel the world, experiencing new cultures, all the while having the universal language of a smile. Carina has graced India and America with her beautiful presence and is never seen without her smile; brightening the days of the many she meets along her journey.Sometimes, life isn’t always kind and countless people across the globe have daily struggles and pain that seems unfathomable. I believe that a smile is powerful enough to change this and to change the world.Smiling is contagious and has the ability to calm fear, insecurity and hurt; not only in yourself but in those around you. I want to make a difference and I know that if I smile, the world will smile back. I can’t think of a better product to give me that smile confidence than Billion Dollar Smile.

And on the Miss England finals day, along with all of the wonderful glitz and glam, the excitement and no doubt the nerves, I will keep true to who I am and convey my own inner beauty. For the best make up any girl can wear, is her smile - there is no beauty equal to the one that comes from inside you and with the help of Billion Dollar Smile, I now have the confidence to open that window and let my inner beauty show.Don’t forget – 25% off using the code MISS25www.billiondollarsmilecosmetics.co.uk

This week has been such a fantastic week to have taken part in. It was of course, Black Country Day on July 14th and because the Black Country has so much to celebrate, it was decided that the festivities would last the whole month, not just a day.I had the honour of being asked to attend the Old Hill Festival as part of the Black Country Festival. The event has been running for a number of years but this year was bigger and better than ever. It was completely overwhelming to see so many people awaiting tor the festivities to begin.

The Black Country, aside from the accent, is well-known for great community spirit, and let me tell you, the community was definitely out in force. When I arrived, I had to do a double take as I was sure I had just seen Gordon Ramsay! To my disappointment and after a good five minutes of staring trying to work it out, I realised it was a VERY good lookalike. So of course, I had to go and have my photo with him. It was great chatting to him, firstly because his personality and mannerisms were completely spot on and secondly, it was interesting to hear about his involvement in charity work across the country as well as his upcoming appearance on Channel 4’s programme Lookalikes. I will definitely be watching!

The parade was just about to begin. I felt so honoured to have been given my own limo for the duration of the parade – it was definitely a celeb-style moment. We began to drive down the road that had been cordoned off and it was brimming with people on both sides. What began as excitement, soon turned into a feeling I have never felt before. It was unbelievably touching to see the children’s faces light up as they noticed me in the car. There were comments like ‘Mommy! It’s Princess Kate!’ (which, by the way, is a compliment I am more than willing to take!) to ‘Dad look it’s Queen Elizabeth!’ (which, unless I have gotten considerably more wrinkly since my last mirror check, I wasn’t as impressed with!) The best comments were of course when people were recognising me for who I am; Miss Black Country. Speaking to festival-goers afterwards some said that they have been following my journey which is just amazing to know.

For those who know me, a big dream of mine was to apply to be a Disney character in Paris or Florida, take part in the parades and most of all, experience that truly magical feeling of making children’s dreams come true. Therefore, whilst there are considerable differences to Disneyland, taking part in the OH Festival’s parade and seeing a queue of children wanting to take photos with little old ME, gave me a small inkling into that magical feeling. It gave me the chance to think about how much my life has changed in the last few months and made me all the more grateful for the opportunity to represent the Black Country this year at the Miss England finals.

After the parade, there was an array of entertainment, from a war-time female trio group singing the classics, to a samba band, from Chinese dragons, to meet, greet and sing-a-long with Princess Elsa. There quite literally was something for everyone and that was reflected in the sheer amount of people that had attended. I was able to go on stage and introduce myself to the crowd as well as talking to people individually. It was great to meet Tom, Vice Chair of the brilliant charity, Variety, as well as Martin, the man behind the brilliant fundraiser, The Italian Job. I am really looking forward to seeing them again in the near future and hope to do as much as I can for Variety.

It was then time to go as I had another Black Country Festival to attend in Dudley town centre. Driving over, I genuinely thought to myself, ‘well, what can they do to make it different to what’s on at Old Hill?!’ It didn’t take me long to find out. Along with the official Black Country Bus, they had a wrestling ring with a full on fight going on, as well as local business stalls and a stage with an array of local talent performing. It just goes to show just how diverse, unique and truly inspiring the people of the Black Country really are. For a second time that day, I was thrilled to see a further town full of people joining together to celebrate all that is great about the Black Country.I filmed a section for the documentary to be aired later in the year about the spirit of Black Country Day which was so exciting. I was obviously asked what my favourite Black Country phrase was to which I answered ‘Z is for strippy os’ which for those from outside of the area, means a Zebra.

I was also invited to formerly introduce the event with the Mayor and Mayoress on stage. Of course, the Fizzogs joined us and got the crowds laughing as they always do. I have a few things lined up with the Fizzogs to coincide with the Black Country Ball but that is being kept strictly under wraps at the moment!J

The day as a whole was fantastic and I went home feeling on top of the world; what a great feeling to have when starting my birthday celebrations that evening with some of my favourite people?!

Tuesday 14th was the big day and BBC WM Radio and BBC Midlands Today were invited along to the Black Country Museum where just some of the people responsible for these regional festivities were there to celebrate. I interviewed firstly with Paul Franks from BBC WM. It was great to have a chat about everything that is so special about the Black Country and how I was preparing to represent our area at the Miss England Finals in August. I was among many to interview with Franksy and felt very privileged to be considered. Interviewees included Grace, who designed the official flag for the Black Country at just 12, Steve Edwards, the guy behind the whole Black Country Day and Festival and of course some of our local talented singers and performers. You can listen to my interview by visiting my official page – Jade Secker – Miss Black Country 2015/16 on Facebook.

We then were whisked away to be briefed by Ben Godfrey, BBC Midlands today news reporter who was with us at the museum covering the day’s events. He was so lovely and really got into the Black Country spirit. We filmed a teaser first which was live on the BBC. Then of course the heavens opened. I don’t think I have ever been to the Black Country Museum and it hasn’t rained. We were laughing amongst ourselves as we all agreed with each other. It is part of the effect and makes the set seem that much more real; we are now convinced they have a water system over the area that they turn on when they come in on a morning.The time had then arrived for us to film our main snippet. I had been asked if I would do the honour of unveiling the official Black Country Cake so as soon as we went live, I was ready and waiting with my wonderful golden umbrella to do the big reveal. It was such a fantastic thing to have been a part of and I am so so proud to call myself a Black Country Wench.

So this week started off a bit different to normal with my photo shoot for the ‘Beach Beauty Round’ with the Miss England photographer Kev. We went on a trip to Rutland Water for the shoot, hoping it would be quite secluded. However, my luck would have it that just as I was about to strip down to my bikini, a local Brownies group appeared along with their mom’s and dad’s to collect them and take them home. Kev and I thought it was hilarious and so decided to get stuck in and perform even higher to our newly found audience. The weather held out for us which was great, but, for someone who sleeps in multiple layers, it was cold. I didn’t let that stop me and was surprised that I was actually warmer in the ‘sea’ than out of it!Like most girls, body confidence is something I sometimes lack, and that is something I will openly admit. So the idea of having to stand in a bikini and be photographed kind of petrified me. Since winning my Miss Black Country title, yes, my self-confidence has increased and I feel as though I have gotten to an age now where as long as I am happy that’s all that matters. I go to the gym; I eat the right foods, (occasionally the wrong ones like everyone does) and have learnt to accept that I should be proud of every so called flaw on my body because that is what makes me unique. This turned out to be my mantra for the whole shoot. Whilst at times I may have thought ‘I wonder what my stomach looks like on that last photo? Do I have any rolls?’ I stopped myself every time and said ‘I am unique and beautiful the way I am’ and it helped. Of course, Kev was great and was showing me the images as we went along. I was so pleased with them I can’t tell you how happy I was. That turned out to be the icing on the cake and the only real confidence boost I needed. Miss England is not about fitting a stereotypical mould of wannabe celebs, which, judging by the recent article in the Telegraph July 14this what we are all aspiring to. Miss England is about being the best version of YOU that there is, no one else, and by doing so, inspiring others to do the same.

When I won my Miss Black Country title, I spoke of a project I was planning to do later in the year with teenage girls regarding body image. All girls are guilty of staring in the mirror too long and yet not really seeing themselves. Instead of saying things like, ‘my eyes are captivating’ or ‘my hair is so shiny’ we choose to say ‘urghhh I hate the way my nose bends to the left’ or a big one for me ‘I hate the moles and freckles on my face.’ We are soooo so quick to judge ourselves and pick, pick, pick at our flaws and imperfections, when really we are looking past everything that is beautiful about us. And I’m not just talking about physical beauty; I am talking about inner beauty too. Nowadays, it’s not just the wonders of Photoshop on models for the purposes of magazines and billboards our young teenage girls have to contend with. Social media is so huge now that these unrealistic images of models are EVERYWHERE. I am of course in no way saying that some of these models aren’t absolutely stunning, because they are and I too am guilty of scrolling through Instagram saying, ‘I wish I had…. Of hers’ but the truth is that we are all beautiful in our own right and that is something we need to instill into these young girls. It’s not about how many likes you get on a photo, that’s not what makes you a beautiful person, what does is who you are, how happy, healthy and kind you are is what truly makes you beautiful.

Kind of given my whole project away there… oops – my fingers were typing quicker than I was thinking. Anyway, so make sure you all act surprised when I spend time with some teenagers at a local school later in the year!Definitely gone off on a tangent there but oh well, the point I was making was that I had a great time shooting with Kev for my beach beauty round and ended up with numerous photos that I *LOVE* - it is an experience I am definitely proud of.

This week, I was absolutely honoured to be asked to take part in a charity edition of ITV’s The Cube with the Miss England Team. We were supporting the brilliant charity Edward’s Trust who do some incredible work supporting brave children and families who are going through loss and surviving bereavement.

I love the programme and have always wanted to have a go – I have the board game but somehow, it’s not quite the same as the real life version! So, you can imagine how excited I was when I received a message asking me to take part; especially to represent such a worthy local charity.I was apprehensive at first. I wasn’t sure what to expect of the tasks or of the other teams taking part. I was, however, very excited as this was the first time I was meeting some of my fellow West Midlands team and a few of the other Miss England team.

We had some team photos inside the cube before being introduced to the selection of tasks. By now of course, we were all raring to go. Everyone was supporting each other; trying to make sure we were assigning the tasks to each other’s strengths.

We were allowed to look at each task close up before deciding but we weren’t allowed touch them. Typically this took me right back to childhood when your parents would take you round a fancy ornament shop and you suddenly want to touch EVERYTHING!

There were a range of tasks on offer, testing completely different skill sets and each with a different monetary figure attached. Once we had worked out between us who was doing what, the competition between the teams was turned up a notch or two and we took our places for the first round.

﻿Round 1

I was first up from the Miss England team with the memory game. A member of another team had gone before me on the same task and failed on her first go so this had made me slightly more nervous than I was originally. I thought this game would be my strong point from years of practice as a child playing the tray game. (In case I sound like I’m just making games up, it’s the one where you put lots of different household items on a tray and give your friends and family an allotted amount of time to remember them all before covering it up with a towel – so similar!)

For those of you reading who don’t watch The Cube, the floor is made up of squares. You are shown an image for 10 seconds with a selection of the squares lit up. The image then disappears and it is your task to recreate what you saw in all of 30 seconds.

Now, I will be honest and say I am forever a culprit of shouting at the contestants on the television. However, it is so much harder when you’re under pressure! You don’t want to let your team down, the charity down or yourself down and so the pressure really is on.

I had placed all of the counters where I remembered seeing them on the image and had 20 seconds to spare. Of course, I then had that horrible feeling of “am I being overconfident if I have done it in 10 seconds?!” The presenter then made it worse by saying ‘are you happy with your choices…. Are you sure you’re happy?!”

“WELL YOU SHOULD BE HAPPY, YOU’RE RIGHT!”

Thank goodness for that. I could re-join my team with my head held high

In between the rounds we had a further game whereby one member from each team must play head to head. There was a board with blue circles on one side and red on the other. The circles would light up and it was our nominated team members’ job to press them as quickly as possible to make them go off again. The highest amount of lights knocked out in the time slot would win £10,000 in the game.This game happened after every round and produced my favourite moment of the night. Mr Birmingham – Joshua Williams – took to the stage and of course completely smashed the game and his opposition. His celebration was comical as he whipped his sash off his neck with pride. The video is out there somewhere and I urge you all to watch it!

There were numerous other rounds including the classic ‘step over the bar blindfolded without knocking it off’ game – catchy title, I know. This was undertaken by Miss Cheltenham, Sophie – Lydia Smith. Again, she completed the task in one go and basically with one large, squat step that was amazing.

Out of all of the teams, we definitely had the best team spirit, not only for our own team members, but we were supportive of all of the other teams taking part too.

Miss Birmingham undertook the drop down challenge and made it look so easy! Miss Leicestershire however, had one of the hardest challenges and it was something I have never seen on The Cube! She had 60 seconds to create a tent-like structure out of nails. Not only did she have to make it, she then had to carry it across the cube, only touching the top section and then get it to balance on the head of another nail. This was the most tense I felt during the whole night as it was such a hard thing to do. It was most certainly not a task for someone with a shaky hand that’s for sure.

Unfortunately, we lost a life here but I think that was what gave Holly the determination to complete it on her second attempt. With just 3 seconds to spare, she seemed to just hope for the best and release it on the nail head, praying it would balance. Thankfully, she got it just right and balance it did; we were very proud team mates!

Mr Black Country had the last challenge and the one worth the most money. The classic fairground game; ‘Beat the Buzzer.’ It was quite a complex course for the metal ring to undertake under the influence of James’ control but we fully believed he could do it.

This was the last round and we still had our simplify and trial run. James decided not to use the trial run on the game in fear that he would complete it first time and it not count and then be unable to recreate his win. So, he went straight in for his first go. He did so well and got almost half way around the course before the buzzer screeched through the arena.

We all advised to simplify to give him his best shot at his remaining two chances. However, it didn’t seem to make it much easier as the buzzer kept ringing. He was doing so well and we were all behind him 100% as a team. The presenter said we had to lose £10,000 of our banked money to buy back a life, which we did. Unfortunately, the buzzer game well and truly had it in for James and he just couldn’t seem to beat it. They asked if we wanted to switch a team member into The Cube so I thought I would try and help my fellow Black Country title out and give it a go. Sadly, my attempt was no better than James’ and we were unfortunately beaten by The Cube.

We didn’t feel bad about it as it was such a hard task and there were three other teams who were also beaten by the buzzer game; even the ones who completed it had lost many lives before doing so.The totals were totted up at the end for each team and we stood nervously hoping we had done enough to qualify for the next round of heats. Unfortunately, we just missed out on third place and so did not qualify. We were all absolutely gutted as we had worked so hard as a team. However, we were pleased that we had been able to come together and support Edward’s Trust and we had had a great time doing so – even if we were all sweaty Betty’s by the end of it! It was an absolute honour to be a part of it and I am so grateful to the Miss England team for choosing me to take part.

All I can say is if there had been an award for team spirit and motivation we would have won first place! ♡

]]>Wed, 01 Jul 2015 08:31:46 GMThttp://www.missenglandwm.com/myblackcountry/black-country-ball-in-aid-of-beauty-with-a-purposeI have some exciting news! I have officially launched my charity fundraiser for the brilliant, Beauty with a Purpose charity in preparations for the Miss England finals. I thought about what I wanted to do and how best to depict my title and came to the conclusion that there was nothing more fitting than a Black Country Charity Ball held at the end of the celebrations.

I have some great entertainment lined up and the whole evening will be in keeping with our heritage. Tickets are £20 and this includes a two course buffet - nothing other than a traditional fish and chip supper. There will be a DJ, entertainment and a raffle and all proceeds will be supporting Beauty with a Purpose.

Soooo this week has been as crazy as ever! I would say it has been my favourite week of being Miss Black Country so far, but each week is so different from the next, there really is no way of picking a favourite.

Lots of exciting things have happened this week; the highlight of course was being invited to the Armed Forces Day Celebration at Himley Hall. My Grandad’s life was always heavily influenced by the RAF and so I have inherited a certain level of respect and understanding for the brave men and women who fight for our country across the services.

I was honoured and completely overwhelmed to be able to spend some time with some war veterans who attend the celebration every year. They come along to share their memories; happy and sad, with the range of generations who attend. Keeping the memories alive ensures the lives lost in the war are remembered with honour and dignity.

They had some fantastic stories to tell and I was completely enthralled. It was nice to see so many young children engaged in what they had to say, asking questions and showing a genuine interest. Also, they were very techno-savvy and asked for a selfie!

I also spoke with some men from the Army who are currently serving. As you can see, they let me hold one of their guns, which, I’m not going to lie, was a LOT heavier than I thought! I would definitely have to work on my upper body strength if I was ever going to consider joining the Army!

What’s great about the event is the sense of unity. Men and women from all of the services that protect us on a daily basis came together to celebrate the armed forces as a whole. It really was quite moving to watch the bands from each service area come out into the arena to perform before uniting to perform the national anthem as a whole.

These men and women can often encounter very distressing situations in their daily jobs. Not only this, but they have to deal with the emotional torment that must come with it. Their determination to protect the country and all of its citizens is what keeps us safe and it was amazing to be able to witness and take part in the celebration.

Alongside the Armed Forces Day, I was also able to meet the Black Country Festival team. Black Country Day takes place on the 14th July to mark the invention of the world’s first steam train. The Newcomen Engine was created in the heart of the Black Country over 300 years ago and its birth date has now become a celebration in the area; marking our rich industrial heritage.

I am very excited to get involved with all of the events surrounding Black Country Day including festivals in various towns, fundraisers and more. Therefore, it was great to be able to introduce myself to the team and let them know I am raring to go and will help promote the festival in any way I can.Love your Miss Black Country x

Wow, what a jam-packed few weeks it has been. Since winning the Miss Black Country title, I have been so busy. It’s as though winning has propelled me into a whole new world (little Disney song title drop there – not on purpose I promise!) It’s safe to say I have loved every second so far and we are only on week 3!The role of Miss Black Country has been very exciting over the past few weeks. I will tell you something though, being nervous on radio now feels like a thing of the past. In the first week alone, I made four radio appearances and three different local stations, including being live on Free Radio with Sam and Mark’s Breakfast show. It has been great fun and each presenter has been interested in different aspects of the Miss Black Country title. From playing higher or lower with model’s ages on The Bridge Radio with Dan Tipton to being asked whether I would end up on the front page if I went out for cocktails on a Saturday night by Cat and Nelly on Free Radio Weekday Breakfast. In all seriousness, they have all had one common interest, and that is ‘how will you be using your title to represent the Black Country?’

I have a lot of ideas for how I want to support and represent the area. As it is probably clear from my job, my heart is focused on charity work and I am aiming for this to be the consistent focal point in which everything else satellites from.

Full time I work as a Community Fundraising Officer for The Haven Wolverhampton; a local charity supporting women and children who have been subjected to domestic abuse and homelessness. The work they do is fantastic and if you don’t know much about them you should definitely check them out. I have been very busy planning an event for The Haven over the last few weeks. This year, we are bringing back Walk a Mile in Her Shoes – a sponsored walk you can really dig your heels into! It encourages men and women to put on a pair of heels and walk a mile around West Park – learning the meaning of the well-known saying, ‘you can never understand what a person has been through until you have walked a mile in their shoes.’ The event has gone live in the last few weeks and we are hoping to get lots of local community groups, corporate teams, friendship groups and individuals signed up. I am hoping to get Mr Black Country signed up too – not that he knows it yet!

Last week, I was invited to Macmillian’s Wolverhampton Takeover, which I was thrilled about. They took over the city, providing information, advice and support to anyone who is interested in finding out more about cancer. They also offered training for local businesses to find out more about resources they can put in place to support employees affected by cancer in the workplace. When I arrived, the Wulfrun shopping centre was buzzing with people, which just goes to show how many people the dreaded ‘C’ word has affected. They had a photo booth and plenty of stands full of staff and volunteers offering knowledgeable advice. Having seen what Cancer can do to someone first hand, it’s comforting to know that charities like Macmillian are ALWAYS there to support not only the individual but their friends and family too. Their tagline couldn’t be more fitting; no-one should face cancer alone.

I have also been asked to attend the Black Country Memory Walk in aid of Alzheimer’s Society – a charity that I have supported for a while and is very close to my heart. I felt honoured to be asked to attend the event on 6th September and although it will be an emotionally difficult day, it is all for the right reasons. With Dementia now affecting over 850,000 people in the UK alone, the fight against this horrible disease is really on. The memory walk will allow us to remember our loved ones as well as those all over the UK who have unfortunately already lost their battles to Dementia and also to fight for those who are still battling by raising awareness and vital funds – not only for research but for the tailored care and support that this disease demands.

Of course, as a Miss England finalist, I will also be working hard to raise vital funds for Beauty with a Purpose whose support is focused on disadvantaged children across the UK and the world. Millions have already been raised but it is so important that we, as Miss England Finalists, keep this imperative fundraising going to hopefully live in a world one day whereby everyone has the opportunity to grow up happy and healthy.There really are some great charities locally, nationally and globally, all working tirelessly for causes that are all so deserving. I am so pleased that this title is giving me the opportunity to make a difference and I am looking forward to the coming months being able to raise more funds and awareness for as many as possible on my journey to the Miss England finals. Love and kissesJade xMiss Black Country 15/16

The buildup back stage was completely nerve wracking before the show. Rehearsals were complete and I knew that the next time I walked out on to that catwalk; it would be in front of an audience and most importantly, the judges. All of the hard work over the last few months had been leading up to the moments ahead of me and I was petrified. A few of the girls had done pageants before but it was all new to me; I had no idea what to expect or what they were really looking for.

On the run up to the finals, my focus had been on winning the Miss Charity award. Charity work has always been a focal point of my day to day life and it had grown considerably in 2014 when I decided to take a turn in my career path and become a fundraiser. I spent all of my spare time organising events from Masquerade Ball’s to sponsored walks and eventually I was lucky enough to be offered a job as a community fundraising officer at The Haven Wolverhampton.

As soon as I received a phone call telling me I had a place in the finals, I was excited to be given the opportunity to raise money for such a worthwhile and worldwide cause.

Having not done pageants before, I was initially surprised at all of the elements involved in becoming a ‘Miss.’ Gone are the days where pageants are only for 6ft blonde beauties in their bikinis – the Miss England Pageant is one of the most diverse competitions I have seen. They aren’t just looking for the stereotypical pretty face; they want an all-rounder with the qualities needed to represent their region. There is more to beauty than what meets the eye and this competition certainly proves that.

Along with the charity award, there were many other rounds involved on the run up to the finals. We had to create an eco-dress out of something recyclable to showcase on the night. My dress idea was inspired by The Haven, where I work. As a charity supporting women and children who have been victims of domestic abuse, it is important that we offer holistic support in order for them to be able to rebuild their lives away from the fear of abuse. One way in which they receive support is through life skills workshops at our resource centre. For Valentine’s Day, the women created a window display for our charity shop made up of a male and female mannequin dressed in rolled up book pages and shattered CD’s in the shape of a heart. The display was very symbolic with the pages embodying a new chapter in their lives and the broken CD’s symbolised the pain that they had been through in the past with the reflective side of each CD facing upwards, depicting their ability to reflect on their experience and move on with their lives. I felt that by recreating this dress it would be a great way to represent the charity where I work and the women and children from the community that we support and that it would give my eco dress meaning and worth.

Other rounds included Miss Sportswoman, Miss Popularity, Miss Social Media and Miss Congeniality. All of which required very different skill sets and personal qualities to complete. I gave it my all for each one and arrived on the day of the finals knowing that I had truly been myself and given it my best shot.

Before the show began, we had a pre-judging session in small groups whereby we went into a separate room to introduce ourselves to the judges. As the well-known saying goes, you never get a second chance to make a first impression so it was all about being confident and showcasing in those few seconds who you were as a person.

The cat walk show itself was a lot more enjoyable than I had imagined. I thought that I would be crippled by nerves throughout the show and not enjoy that element of the competition at all. However, I was pleasantly surprised by my ability to get over the initial fear and enjoy my time on stage making sure my personality was emitted into everything I did. We had four cat walk rounds, Eco, Sports, Fashion and Evening Wear. In rehearsals we had been taught how it was important to make sure your walk and your presence on stage reflected each round.

When the catwalk rounds had finished there was nothing else to do other than wait. Something I had worried about prior to the finals was the perceived cattiness of pageants. I cannot say how wrong the rumours are. All of the girls were lovely and we were all helping each other backstage both before and during the show. Whilst we were waiting for the judges to come to a decision on the top 12, everyone sat together and wished each other luck. It was a lovely atmosphere between everyone and I feel as though I have definitely made some good friends from the experience.

The awards were called first. I was so nervous for the Miss Charity to be called as I knew that the girls had all worked really hard to raise as much for charity as possible. There was no way of monitoring who had raised the most before the finals so I stood, with my fingers crossed, hoping that the £1000 I had raised was going to be enough.

Moments later my name was called and the Miss Charity sash was placed over my shoulder before I graced the cat walk one more time. For me, at that moment, I had achieved what I had set out to do and I was proud of myself for that. I told myself, it doesn’t matter if it’s the end of the road here because this is what you came here to win and you have. Still lost in thought, overwhelmed with the award, my name was called for another. Now I really was in shock. ‘Miss Congeniality goes to Jade Secker.’ I couldn’t believe it. At the start of the day I hadn’t really known much about this award, I immediately thought of the Sandra Bullock film and couldn’t recall being told to prepare anything for it. An hour or so before the show began, last year’s Miss Black Country, Shelley-Marie Sumner came into the dressing room and asked us to all write down the name of someone who had been the kindest person on the day; someone they thought was a genuinely nice person. To have been called for this award was an amazing feeling and something I truly did not expect. I was so grateful to the girls who voted for me.

The remaining spaces in the top 12 were then filled and the judges had a break to discuss their decision one more time. Only then had I really started to consider what winning the Miss Black Country title could mean. I was thrilled with a place in the top 12 and would have been even more delighted with a place in the top 3, but to win would change my life. The top 12 was so strong, with all of the girls having done really well throughout the competition. I was genuinely happy with what I had achieved and knew now that I would go home proud of myself whatever the outcome.

Third place and second place were called and I was still stood backstage with the remaining girls. The buildup seemed to go on forever and when it was finally called, I was shocked to hear my name. Walking out on to the stage, greeted by applause and the flashing of cameras, knowing I had won was a completely overwhelming feeling. I literally didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Shelley handed over the Miss Black Country crown and put on my sash and that moment was the start of something extraordinary in my life.

Well, well, well, what a year it has been (and a bit, because I was greedy and got given an extra 3 months to reign). This time last year I was preparing for the Miss England 2014 finals. I’ve had some amazing times and some not so amazing times.

This time last year I came down with shingles and was admitted to hospital resulting in me preparing for the finals from a hospital bed… But did that stop me? All together during my year as Miss Black Country 2014/15 I have raised over £2,000 for Variety the Children’s Charity, Beauty with a Purpose, Cancer Research and the British Heart Foundation by putting on a various events.

Despite being discharged from hospital 1 week before the Miss England 2014 Finals in Torquay I still took part in the Sports round and the Talent round in a bid to become Miss England during June 2014.

I was placed in the top 30 of the sports round and top 3 of the talent round. Miss England was a journey I shall never forget, the gowns, the make-up, the hair, the sparkle, the friendships made, the laughter and the tears, it has all played a massive part in making me the person I am today.

Myself and the Miss England finalists even got the opportunity to ‘walk out’ the Mr World 2014 contestants which were held alongside the Miss England finals and aired/streamed online. Although I didn’t make it to the Top 15 to become Miss England 2014 which was my aim; I am extremely proud of myself, especially as I was placed 21st out of the 60 finalists and for what I have achieved during that journey. I would personally like to thank everyone that has helped me through it.

During my year as the reigning Miss Black Country I have made appearances at many events such as presenting an award at Miss Birmingham 2014, playing a big part in Black Country Day around Dudley which was aired on BBC WM and ITV News, cycling the distance from Birmingham to Bastion to raise money for Fisher House at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, attending Compton Hospice charity event, attending Miss Worcestershire 2015, modelling for Stourbridge Wedding Fayre, and having numerous articles in many local papers and magazines such as the Express & Star and Real People Magazine.

These achievements played a big part in me recently becoming an Ambassador for Project Red Code which is the first non-profit organisation created to provide feminine hygiene products to vulnerable and homeless women in local areas. The charity work is what I have enjoyed the most about being Miss Black Country and I intend to continue to do more charity work as the years progress.

I hate achieved so much during my year reigning and have done so much I honestly don’t know what more I can say than I have had the best year of my life so far. I entered Miss Black Country for the confidence boost, to meet new people and in the hope of opening some doors.

I did all of those and won which was very unexpected. I have grown and matured so much during the year and can’t thank the Miss England team for the opportunities I have been given. Just like the previous Miss Black Country Nikki Sahota who helped me through my journey and became a very special friend, I too hope to help the next Miss Black Country through her journey and give my support. Forever your Miss Black Country 2014 – Shelley-Marie Sumner xxx

‘Hearts for Justin’ charity night raising money for British Heart Foundation was organised in memory of my friend Justin Fraser who sadly passed away from a rare heart condition during summer last year. The charity night took place on Saturday 28th February at Darlaston All Active from 7:30pm onwards. I sold tickets and we had a variety of entertainment perform alongside a disco by Jay’s Disco, voted best in the UK. Just before the event took place I contacted West Bromwich Albion, Wolves FC, Walsall FC, The Black Country Museum and Snowdome Tamworth and told them about our charity event, in which they kindly donated raffle prizes which went into our raffle. The venue put on hot food and opened their bar and my auntie sold yummy heart shaped cupcakes which were sold to add to the money raised.By selling tickets, raffle tickets and cakes we raised just under £700. I have a fundraising page that I am keeping open until late April and will be promoting for any late donations to the British Heart Foundation to try and aim for £800 before sending off the money raised to the charity. If you would like to donate to this well-deserved charity then please visit: uk.viriginmoneygiving.com/missblackcountry14 I would like thank everyone that attended and also my entertainment acts and helpers, I couldn’t have done it without you!

My main aim for 2015 whilst reigning is to raise as much money as I can for my chosen charities. One being the British Heart Foundation after a very special friend suddenly passed away from a rare heart condition.

I am currently organising a charity night full of entertainment, a disco, hot food, refreshments and a raffle in order to raise a great amount for the charity in memory of our friend Justin Fraser, manager of Couture Nightclub, Stafford.

‘Hearts for Justin’ raising money for the British Heart Foundation is on Saturday 28th February 2015 at Darlaston All Active from 7:30pm onwards. We have DJ Jays Disco which will be providing us with a great disco, entertainment from Classical Dance Academy, an Acoustic Duo and a Solo Guitarist and Singer. Hot food will also be served and a bar will be open on the night provided by the venue.

Raffle tickets will be sold in which you can win luxury prizes donated from the likes of Black Country Museum, Snowdome Tamworth, West Bromwich Albion, Wolves and Walsall FC’s. Homemade cakes will also be sold for those who love a bit of sponge!

Well, what can I say 2014 was sure a rollercoaster of a ride. It has had its ups and downs but the good times were most definitely ones I shall treasure forever, one being the night I was crowned Miss Black Country 2014. My Mom, Dad, Step Mom, Nan, Sister, Partner and Auntie were all seated on the 3rd row and as the results were being called out I could hear them all shouting my name. The adrenaline, the chants from the audience, the excitement from girls all backstage, it was all overwhelming and muffled Mark’s voice as he announced the winner.

“And the winner of Miss Black Country 2014 is… Shelley-Marie Sumner”.I shall never forget that moment for as long as I shall live. The best night of my life so far. Unfortunately my Step Nan Anne passed away a few days before the final so I dedicate my title and all I have achieved to her.

Another night in 2014 I shall never forget was during June when I was placed 21st at the Miss England Finals in Torquay. I have always dreamt of becoming a princess after having a big love for Disney, especially Cinderella. Boy did we all look and get treated like princesses. Becoming a Miss England 2014 Finalist and being able to say I was a part of a Miss England Pageant experience is something I never thought I would have the confidence to achieve.

Alongside those 2 amazing achievements and experiences I also had a few months of negativity starting with me being admitted into hospital with Shingles in the eye socket shortly after winning my title which caused me to cancel my charity events to raise money for Beauty With A Purpose for the Miss England Final. I recovered quickly with the help of doctors and the love and support I received from friends and family but then it reoccurred again shortly after the Miss England Final.

Apart from being hospitalised, suffering with my skin and losing my Step Nan and also a very special friend I have had a great 2014!

During Christmas 2014 I visited The Black Country Museum where we were treated like royalty and even got free traditional fish and chips. Myself and my family had a fun, festive night and it makes me feel very privileged to represent my region!

On Saturday 2nd November I was invited to appear at the Mr & Miss Worcestershire Finals 2014. The finals were held at The Guildhall in Worcester, it was a lovely vintage venue that hung big beautiful chandeliers. As you entered you could feel the tension steaming from the family and friends who were there to support their contestants. The Director of Miss England West Midlands Rachael Barker and her co host Linford Martin part of the Miss England Team presented the finals and it was a very relaxed, lovely evening. All the contestants looked very elegant and all worked extremely hard in order to take the crown and title of Mr & Miss Worcestershire 2014. It is surprising how confident I have become since winning the title of Miss Black Country 2014/15. When I first stepped onto the catwalk at the Arena Theatre in Wolverhampton at the finals I was a vulnerable, shy girl who tried her hardest to make friends, to stand out and shine... Now I am gleaming with confidence and love a challenge. So when the girls and the boys stepped onto the catwalk to fight for their titles I knew exactly how they were feeling. I also knew how both Dan Evans and Chloe Palmer felt when they were crowned Mr & Miss Worcestershire 2014. Having the responsibility of representing your region at the Mr & Miss England finals and raising money and awareness for your chosen charities, helping to make a change is extremely rewarding and a achievement that you will forever proud of.

Congratulations to Dan and Chloe, Mr & Miss Worcestershire 2014/15, I wish them both luck for their journey’s ahead of them and for the Mr &Miss England finals 2015. Miss England West Midlands are still accepting applications and entries for Miss Birmingham 2015 and Miss Black Country 2015. More information and entry forms available at http://www.missenglandwm.com/

On Saturday 11th October I was invited to Telford Shopping Centre by the Miss England Organisation to scout for Miss Shropshire. The current Miss Shropshire Renee and Myself searched the shopping centre for girls who we thought looked liked they could take the crown, title and job. The majority of the girls we approached that Saturday were under the age of 17, which is the age limit you need to be to apply. However, the girls we approached that were over the age of 17 were extremely beautiful and eager to fill out an application form. Both myself and Renee had a lovely time, especially catching up on each other’s journey since competing in Miss England together this year. Since scouting in Telford for Miss Shropshire I have been jotting up ideas for my next charity event. The idea is to arrange another variety show, but this time it will be in memory of a special friend who sadly lost his life during August this year. Justin Fraser, the manager of Couture nightclub in Stafford died of natural causes, his heart gave out due to an ARVC (you can see further information on this disease on www.bhf.org.uk). It is a rare genetic heart condition affecting young people under 40 which is passed on from one parent to their children. The British Heart Foundation is the charity Justin’s family would now like money that is raised in his memory to go to in order to help others affected by the condition. Along with my Mom and Justin’s Brother Ryan, I have looked at organising a variety show full of different kinds of entertainment around Valentine’s Day before hand over my crown and title, Miss Black Country, with the theme being Hearts (For the British HEART Foundation). This is just an idea, but a charity event to raise money for the British Heart Foundation in memory of Justin Fraser is in working progress. (Photo above: My Mom, Tracey and our friend Justin Fraser) If anybody has some quirky charity ideas that they would like to pass on which will help us raise a fabulous amount of money for the British Heart Foundation they would be much appreciated. We are ruling out ideas like Skydives, Bungee Jumps and any similar charity events that require a fee which will take a chunk out of the money raised for the charity.

On Thursday 21st August I was asked to take part in the Birmingham to Bastion Challenge at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham. Miss Eco Black Country, Miss Birmingham 2013, Miss West Midlands, Miss Worcestershire, Miss Shropshire, Miss Nuneaton and Miss Cornwall also joined me. Exercise bikes, rowing machines and treadmills were placed in the main entrance of the hospital where troops, staff, supporters and beauty queens cycled, rowed and run the distance between Camp Bastion, Afghanistan to Birmingham and back again. The aim was for the team to reach 7,160 miles in 48 hours! QEHB Charity wanted to raise £5,000 for Fisher House, a ‘home away from home’ for military patients and their families, which provide 200 nights of free accommodation for the family of a military patient who is being treated at the QE. So far £4, 848.92 has been raised for Fisher House and you can help reach their goal of £5,000 by donating at https://www.justgiving.com/BhamtoBastion/I cycled 52 miles on an exercise bike and between us beauty queens we cycled, rowed and ran over 400 miles towards the 7,160 miles target. It was a privilege to help return the hard work that our troops do for us and our country. My Grandad and his Brother were both in the South Staffordshire Regiment and both supported their fellow troops, I also have friends in the forces so I was up for anything to help. I thank Rachael Barker, Miss Birmingham 2013 and Miss England West Midlands Director for helping organise the event and inviting me along.

On Sunday 3rd August I took part in a charity beauty pageant held at Willenhall CHART Centre in aid of Rainbows Children’s Charity organised by Kyran Chopra. Kyran is an old school friend of mine who also won Miss Personality at the Miss Black Country 2014 finals. Myself, Katie Stamps the current Miss Birmingham and Sasha Lyttle who won a beauty pageant this year judged the charity pageant. The charity pageant consisted of contestants from the small age of 3 upwards. Miss Rainbows was organised to raise money for Rainbows Children’s Charity which is why I got involved and accepted the offer to be a judge. Helping children in need is something I love to do and every girl that competed in the charity pageant were all part of the help giving to Rainbows. I thank all the girls, parents and the audience that came to the charity event helping Kyran raise over £400 for Rainbow’s Children’s Charity. Information about Rainbow’s Children’s Charity can be found in this link: http://www.rainbows.co.uk/wp-content/cache/page_enhanced/www.rainbows.co.uk/_index.html_gzip

Due to being a ‘Self Employed Dance/Drama Instructor’, taking dance and drama clubs into primary schools, means that during the summer holidays I am unemployed. I have been spending my summer contacting charities and brands/companies seeking sponsorship and looking at organising charity events in months to come. Since the small age of 3 I have always been a performer. I’ve taken classes in dance, drama and singing and have played roles in many productions for a variety of companies. I took dance and drama at secondary school and then went on to graduate in 2012 with a degree in Drama and Performance. So all my life I have been in the performing arts industry. My dream has always been to be a performer on West End but as you can imagine it isn’t as easy as it sounds. The fees, the hard work, the commitment, the sacrifices and the decisions, none of it was ever going to be easy. Infact I found it extremely hard. I have been auditioning for a place in a Musical Theatre school in London since 2009. I auditioned for various schools to study at but was unsuccessful which is when I auditioned for the University of Wolverhampton and gained a place on their Drama and Performance course. When I graduated in 2012 I went back to London and tried again but this time auditioned for both a Master’s qualification and a foundation course and was again unsuccessful. I have learnt that it isn’t the matter of how many classes you have had, how much money you have spent on classes, if you have been to a private school or not. It all depends on what the judges are looking for on that particular day, but I didn’t let it put me down, I let it make me a stronger person. I never gave up no matter how many push backs I had. I even attended a last minute open audition at Pineapple Dance Studios to be part of the Ensemble for the UK Tour of Wicked the Musical... During December 2013 I attended a course through Stagecoach, Walsall and they showed the attendees a video. There was a quote in the video, I can’t remember the quote exactly, but it basically said that whilst you are focusing on one goal you are missing all the other goals around you that you could have achieved whilst reaching for that one. Maybe this is what I was doing wrong? My dream will always stay alive and I will never give up hoping, but by winning Miss Black Country I have been given opportunities and have achieved things I never thought I’d achieve and am now living my dream another way, by teaching children performing arts. I never thought I had it in me to be able to teach but I am the proof to never to underestimate yourself. I may not be earning as much as others and have a normal everyday job but I am doing what I have always wanted to do, worked hard to achieve, and I’ve got where I am today by myself and for that I am proud and wouldn’t change the life I’m living and the people in it for the world. It’s onwards and upwards for Miss Black Country...

On Friday 11th July I took part in Birmingham Children’s Hospital’s Big Bandage Appeal. A couple of weeks before hand I applied to be a volunteer which is something I have always wanted to do. I wanted to return the help and support my Sister and family were given when my Sister was under the children’s hospital after being born with a Congenital Dislocation to the Hip (CDH) and has undergone a number of operations for the 18 years she was under the hospital. I turned up at BCH at 8:30am, was given a volunteer t-shirt and a selection of bandages and plasters to decorate ourselves with to promote the Big Bandage. I was sent around Brindley Place with collection boxes, stickers and leaflets for the appeal and helped the hospital raise a whopping £2,490.61.

There are a number of other fun events that I look forward to hopefully getting involved with like the Birmingham Zombie Walk and the Colour Run.

If you would like to become a volunteer for Birmingham Children’s Hospital like myself then simply visit: http://www.bch.org.uk/

Miss Black Country attends Black Country Day on Monday 14th July!

I met the Black Country Festival team at the Black Country Living Museum and was looking forward to a day of celebrations. The 14th July marked the anniversary of the invention of the world’s first steam engine. It began with photo’s being taken outside of the museum beside a steam engine and then short clips of The Empty Can, a black country folk band playing their song ‘I Vow to thee Black Country’, which has hit number 1 in the folk charts, whilst exiting the mill inside the museum. This will be part of a short film that will be put together containing clips of Black Country Day. I then boarded the Black Country bus after having photo’s taken at the museum and buying some of my favourite, Kaylie from the souvenir shop. Aboard the bus I was interview by BBC WM Radio about being Miss Black Country and discussed Black Country Day, the Black Country slang and not forgetting the Miss Black Country pageant. We stopped off in Dudley to open the new Age UK office along with having a performance from The Fizzogs, a production company that take on the roles of elderly women from the Black Country. I advice all my readers to watch their videos on YouTube or if you get a chance to go to one of their productions to go, they are hilarious!

We finally finished at 5pm at the Duke William pub in Stourbridge where everyone ate the traditional Faggots and Peas whilst waiting for the BBC Midlands Today news crew to broadcast Black Country Day live on BBC 1.

I thoroughly enjoyed Black Country Day, it is a privilege to represent the Black Country, especially at the Miss England Finals which I took part in during June this year and I hope that coming 21st out of the 60 Finalist’s made the people of the Black Country proud. If only I could keep my title, Miss Black Country forever! Celebrations in the Black Country will be happening till the end of the month, to see what events are near you visit: http://blackcountryfestival.weebly.com/

From Saturday 14th June to Monday 16th June 2014 I took part in the Miss England 2014 Finals representing my region, the Black Country. It is an experience that no one can judge until they have been a part of it all. From the rehearsals, to the different rounds you take part in, to the time you have spare back in your room after a long day, the whole experience was something that I am privileged and lucky to have taken part in and is something I recommend to all girls out there that want a change of scenery, a confidence boost and a chance to show off their ability to inspire and help others.

I have heard so many different opinions about Beauty Pageants positive and negative and I myself had doubts when I applied to be the next Miss Black Country but until you have the chance to be a part of one, especially the Miss England Pageant, it changes your outlook on them. From the organisers to the regional heats and to the finals of Miss England, the Miss England Beauty Pageant is all about being an inspiration to others, helping those in need and finding somebody different and interesting to represent your country.

Before winning the title of Miss Black Country 2014/15 I had one dream, which was to be a West End performer. My dream has never changed and never will however I now have more than one dream thanks to the Miss England Beauty Pageant. I strive to help those that are in need and would especially love to help the sick and disabled at Birmingham Children’s Hospital. On the subject I have just recently to be a volunteer at Birmingham Children’s Hospital as it has a very special place in my heart after helping my sister since being born with a dislocation to the hip. Although she is no longer under the Children’s Hospital they have spent just over 18 years caring for my sister and have made her into the happy young and inspirational adult she is today despite her poorly hip. I look forward to hopefully being involved with the Big Bandage Event this coming Friday. To find out more information about the Big Bandage Event or how to become a volunteer for Birmingham Children’s Hospital please visit: http://www.bch.nhs.uk/

Since representing my region in the Miss England 2014 Finals I have opened many doors, some in which didn’t stay open and have closed but some opening up great opportunities like becoming a volunteer for a great charity. Another is being sponsored by Xenca, an organic beauty, health and wellbeing products range. Suffering with Eczema since birth I have found it very difficult to find make up products that aren’t harsh on my skin, especially coming down with now the second bout of Shingles in the past month, I am finding it hard to use well known make up brands like Max Factor and Rimmel on my skin without it burning or itching. That was until I found Xenca whilst researching into organic make up products. Nikki Sahota, Miss Black Country 2012/13, has created some big shoes to fill being sponsored by big brands such as USN and Nike Running being the inspirational athlete she has become despite illness and it’s because of her that I plucked up the courage to ask Xenca about sponsorship and ambassadorship with their brand/company. And the response I got was unexpected. It goes to show that you do not have to be some Olympian to be an ambassador for a well known company or brand, just simply be you, unique and have an interest in the brand helping them become a success. For more information on Xenca please visit: http://www.xenca.com/ also visit my Facebook and Twitter page to see my reviews on the Xenca products I am trying out. If you read my previous blog then some of you will know that I was in hospital 2 weeks prior to the Miss England 2014 Finals not leaving me much time to prepare, leaving me on the fence about whether or not to pull out of the competition but after being inspired by young Stephen Sutton now MBE that sadly passed away after losing his battle to cancer and with the support of my family I made a rapid recovery and flew through the finals being placed 21st out of the 60 girls around the country. However, the Shingles I came down with in my face has unfortunately come back, only this time worse but luckily this time it has not affected my eyes. I went into hospital on the same course of antibiotics and anti viral’s last weekend and was then discharged after the rash had started to clear up on my face on Monday. I am dosed up with all kinds of medication to clear the infection and to make sure that it does not return. But has this stopped me from setting and achieving goals and helping others in need... No! To cut a long story short... Don’t be afraid to try something new, be optimistic, believe and achieve!